Spice of Life: Botanicals and Herbs for Male Fertility

Tropical herbs have long been used for culinary purposes and traditional medicine, showing astounding health benefits, including for male fertility. Male infertility is a growing problem due to many factors, such as endocrine-disrupting chemicals, damaging food additives and physiological imbalances. Particularly concerning is oxidative stress, which appears to be a major factor in 80% of infertile men (1). Modern science is turning to ginger, turmeric and closely related herbs in a search for natural antioxidants to bind oxidizing free radicals that impact male fertility.

Ginger

Ginger (Zingiber officinale) is an herb that shows great potential for male fertility due to its antioxidant properties, effectively reducing damaging oxidative stress to sperm cells. It also assists the reproductive system by increasing levels of testosterone and luteinizing hormone. Results have shown increased sperm count and decreased instances of abnormal sperm motility and morphology (2). A double-blind study in which infertile men received 250 mg of ginger twice a day for three months showed significant decrease in sperm DNA fragmentation without showing side effects from the supplement. (3)

Black Ginger

Black ginger (Kaempferia parviflora) is a deep purple rhizome traditionally used to increase energy and reduce inflammation. A 2025 review highlights its phenolic compounds and polymethoxyflavones, which have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects. The herbs purple color is from anthocyanin, a colorful antioxidant with additional antidiabetic effects. Black ginger is an excellent source of alpha-linolenic acid, a fatty acid beneficial to linings and glands. (4)

Lesser Galangal

Lesser Galangal (Alpinia officinarum) is an aromatic Thai ginger containing the flavonoid galangin, which has strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and analgesic qualities (5), and even shows neuroprotective and mood-stabilizing effects on neurotransmitter levels (6). In a double-blind human study, the lesser galangal herb produced significant results showing improved sperm morphology and sperm count without side effects. (7)

Greater Galangal

Greater Galangal (Alpinia galanga) also has shown beneficial effects on male fertility, including a stunning 62% increase in sperm count in a double-blind study when administered together with pomegranate extract. (8) Those using galangal should check scientific names, as the common name may be misapplied to sand ginger (Kaempferia galanga), a different herb with possible side effects. 

Turmeric

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is one of the most well-studied herbs available, with a large range of therapeutic effects. Its yellow compound curcumin shows protective effects against chronic and inflammatory diseases, neurological ailments and cancer. The strong antioxidant and anti-toxin properties are beneficial to male fertility. Curcumin has been shown to repair testicular damage from toxins and chemicals, including reducing damage from nicotine. This herb also increases reproductive hormone production and sperm count in preliminary studies. (9)

A double-blind human trial found that curcumin increased sperm count and motility when participants received 80 mg of curcumin per day. (10) Live human studies with curcumin show tremendous health benefits, so it is a supplement generally recognized as safe by the FDA. (11) Very high levels could have side effects, but toxic results appear to be limited and related to lab studies exposing reproductive cells to very high curcumin levels. (12) Curcumin is an herb not easily absorbed by the body, so typically is combined with other molecules to increase its absorption. The human difficulty in absorbing curcumin may naturally limit it to the optimal lower concentration which protects the male reproductive system from oxidative stress and toxins. (13)

Scientists are continuing research to verify optimal, safe dosages for these exciting natural remedies. It is recommended to consult a physician familiar with current studies before taking any herbal supplement in order to get the most benefit. Culinary plants are used in kitchens around the world. Ginger, turmeric and their lesser-known herbs can be part of a varied and healthy diet—with a distinct Asian flare. They also support energy and optimal male fertility.

Important Terms! 

• Sperm morphology: refers to the size and shape of sperm
• Sperm DNA fragmentation: when the DNA held inside the sperm head is damaged and the strands are broken up, making conception unlikely
• Rhizome: a specialized stem structure in plants that grows horizontally, either underground or along the soil surface
• phenolic compounds: metabolites found in plants
• polymethoxyflavones (PMFs): a type of dietary flavonoid found in citrus fruits and other plants

Written for Family Foundations magazine by Rosemary Shannon Imrick. Rosemary is mother to twelve children by birth and international adoption, and homeschools her children along with her husband Michael in Fort Wayne, Indiana. A freelance writer and copyeditor, she taught English Composition at Purdue University Fort Wayne for sixteen years. She now manages Shannon Haven, an agricultural business dedicated to continuing the Shannon family legacy.

Marlilyn Shannon, Rosemary’s mother, wrote Fertility, Cycles and Nutrition, which also contains helpful information for optimizing male and female fertility. Find the book in the CCL store.

References:

1 Damilare, R., Kayode, O., & Adeyemi, O. (2022). Male Reproductive Dysfunction and Pharmacological Action of Curcumin: A Concise Review. Current Bioactive Compounds, 18. http://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1573407218666220421134543

2 Banihani, S. (2019). Effect of ginger (Zingiber officinale) on semen quality. Andrologia. 51. https://doi.org/10.1111/and.13296

3 Hosseini, J., Mardi Mamaghani, A., Hosseinifar, H., Sadighi Gilani, M. A., Dadkhah, F., & Sepidarkish, M. (2016). The influence of ginger (Zingiber officinale) on human sperm quality and DNA fragmentation: A double-blind randomized clinical trial. International journal of reproductive biomedicine, 14(8), 533–540.

4 Chew, S.C., & Nyam, K.L., (2025). Black ginger (Kaempferia parviflora): A source of functional ingredient for food, nutraceutical and pharmaceutical applications, Food Chemistry Advances, 7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.focha.2025.100980.

5 Lei, X., Wang, J., Zuo, K., Xia, T., Zhang, J., Xu, X., Liu, Q., & Li, X. (2024). Alpinia officinarum Hance: a comprehensive review of traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacokinetic and pharmacology. Frontiers in pharmacology, 15, 1414635. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2024.1414635

6 Abd Rahman, I. Z., Adam, S. H., Hamid, A. A., Mokhtar, M. H., Mustafar, R., Kashim, M. I. A. M., Febriza, A., & Mansor, N. I. (2024). Potential Neuroprotective Effects of Alpinia officinarum Hance (Galangal): A Review. Nutrients, 16(19), 3378. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu16193378

7 Kolangi, F., Shafi, H., Memariani, Z., Kamalinejad, M., Bioos, S., Jorsaraei, S.G., Bijani, A., Shirafkan, H., & Mozaffarpur, S.A. (2018). Effect of Alpinia officinarum Hance rhizome extract on spermatogram factors in men with idiopathic infertility: A prospective double‐blinded randomized clinical trial. Andrologia, 51. https://doi.org/10.1111/and.13172

8 Fedder, M. D., Jakobsen, H. B., Giversen, I., Christensen, L. P., Parner, E. T., & Fedder, J. (2014). An extract of pomegranate fruit and galangal rhizome increases the numbers of motile sperm: a prospective, randomized, controlled, double-blinded trial. PloS one, 9(9). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0108532

9 Damilare, R., Kayode, O., & Adeyemi, O. (2022). 

10 Alizadeh F, Javadi M, Karami AA, Gholaminejad F, Kavianpour M, Haghighian HK. (2018). Curcumin nanomicelle improves semen parameters, oxidative stress, inflammatory biomarkers, and reproductive hormones in infertile men: A randomized clinical trial. Phytotherapy Research, 32(3): 514-521. https://doi.org/10.2174/1871530321666210104145231

11 Damilare, R., Kayode, O., & Adeyemi, O. (2022).

12 Saifi, B., Haftcheshmeh, S. M., Feligioni, M., Izadpanah, E., Rahimi, K., Hassanzadeh, K., Mohammadi, A., & Sahebkar, A. (2022). An overview of the therapeutic effects of curcumin in reproductive disorders with a focus on the anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activities. Phytotherapy Research, 36(2), 808-823. https://doi.org/10.1002/ptr.7360

13 Tvrdá, E., Benko, F., Slanina, T., & du Plessis, S. S. (2021). The Role of Selected Natural Biomolecules in Sperm Production and Functionality. Molecules, 26(17), 5196. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26175196